Last year, together with our partners, SGA helped distribute nearly 20,000 ‘Joy of Christmas’ gift boxes across five countries in Central Asia. To those who received them they were quite literally, a Godsend.
Madina, a 9-year-old girl in Tajikistan, is the daughter of an alcoholic mother and is now being cared for primarily by her grandmother. She attends a church-organised feeding programme where she experiences the love that, sadly, is far too often absent at home. Receiving a ‘Joy of Christmas’ box last year filled her heart with happiness, not least because it meant that someone, somewhere, cared for her.
Even more importantly she heard the transformative story of the birth of Jesus Christ, as did Sasha, a teenage boy from Kazakhstan who has cerebral palsy and lives with his grandfather. After listening attentively to all that was being said, he and those sitting alongside him were asked to indicate who wanted their names to be written in the book of life – and Sasha boldly raised his hand.
A special Christmas evangelistic service, then the receiving of the boxes
Muhammad is a bright, energetic seven-year-old also from Kazakhstan. Despite Muslim leaders forbidding anyone to attend, he visited his local Hope Centre where he heard the Gospel. Soon after, he was heard relaying the wonderful Good News to his younger brother, promising to tell his parents too!
What about those at this Christmastime who still need to hear the same hope-filled message of Jesus so that they too may have their souls fed long after the season’s celebrations are over?
This year’s ‘Joy of Christmas’ project is underway, with believers in Central Asia and Mongolia already preparing gift boxes for distribution.
Pray that thousands more families will be reached with the Gospel, and that through this ministry, many will come to faith in Christ.